Date: Thu, 26 Feb 1998 15:55:50 -0500
From: Doug Henwood <dhenwood-AT-panix.com>
Subject: Re: M-I: Re; M-I; Left conservatism?


Paul Gallagher wrote:

>Quite apart from arguments about the relation of science to ideology or to
>metaphysics, the Science Wars are not about the defence of science,
>which hardly needs the help; they are about defeating the academic left and
>dissident academic thought in general. Attacking foolish post-modernists -
>attacking what is probably the liberal-left's weakest link - is a clever
>tactic, but I hope people will be smart enough not to fall for that ploy.
>
>Since Higher Superstition and related texts are filled with attacks on
>Marxism and uppity students, and since Sokal is so nakedly self-promoting,
>I'd think the political character of the science wars should be obvious.

I agree with your characterization here, but it's not obvious at all. These
things are pretty damn complicated in fact.

It's funny that the pomo-istas should use Sokal as their representative of
"neoconservative Marxism," in Judith Butler's phrase, since Sokal is no
Marxist. But that's what happens when both sides argue with caricatures
rather than real people and real texts.

I don't think I posted this tidbit here, but for what it's worth, Ron
Arnold, one of the leaders of the right-wing anti-green Wise Use movement,
said on my radio show the other week that he derived great inspiration from
Aronowitz' writings on science. In Ron's aphorism, "All science is
political science."

Doug




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